Foueth to leonaed hunteess



' UNITED' STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN LJFLEMING, or TEWHSBUHY, MASSACHUSETTS, JASsIo'f'NoH OF ONE- FOURTH, To LEONARD HUNTHESS, ONSAMH PLACE.'

VCAR-AXLE.

SPECIFICATION 'forming part vof Letters'Patent No. soalzoua'edviuiy 15,1884.

I y *v Application filed July 8, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JOHN L. FLEMING, of Tewksbury, in thecounty of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Axles; and I. do hereby declare that the following is a--full. and exact description of the same, referenceV being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object of the invention, which is to be hereinafter described and illustrated, isto so construct an axle for steam or streetr railway cars that the friction and consequent wear of the wheels of such cars when passing around a curve will be practically avoided, and at the` 1 same time all the strength and advantages of an ordinary' axle be retained.

To the accomplishment'of the abovethe invention consists ,of4 an axle divided at itscenter and inclosed in a suitablel covering,

v said axle and coveringbeing provided with l view.

corresponding grooves and ribs, the two being heldfrmly together by-a number of wroughtiron rings, which are shrunk around said coverlng.

To the better understanding of my invention, and to enable those skilled. in the art to make and use the same, `I will nowproceedkto describe it, having frequent referenceto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, said drawings forniing part of this specification, and representing, in Figure 1, a side elevation of an axle constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a side elevation, with onehalf of the axle and covering removed;v Fig. 3, an end a rib, a, provided at a corresponding point on the sleeve or covering C. This sleeve Gis also provided with a groove, b, which is of proper position.

, Sufficient width and depth to receive arb, b, lformed on the divided axle A, and separating the groove'a from a groove, c, also out in said 'axle A, said last-named groove receiving and holding securely a rib, c', corresponding in size and depthto said groove and formed onv the sleeve or covering C. On the end of each half of this divided axle is formed a rib', a, which fits into a groove orhollow opening, jd', made in the sleeve C. The sleeve C havking been placed around the divided axle A,

the parts are held securely together by means of a number of wrought-iron rings, e e, Snc.,

which are passed ovei` and around said sleeve,l

and then sufficiently shrunk by being heated to prevent their slipping or sliding from their This sleeve C may be provided at any suitable point with` a hole or opening, f, through which oil for lubricating the axle may be passed. y l

The `axle A may be made of any suitable material, asjalso may the covering C; but I `prefer to form said covering of cast-iron, that Inetalbeing best adaptedto withstand the strain to which said sleeve is subjected.

It will be seen by reference to the drawings that the sleeve G extends nearly-the entire length of the axle A, thus serving to protect said axle from damage and imparting to it `all the strength and Vdurability of an undivided axle, while the advantages arising from the use of a' divided axlerare retained. By further reference to said drawings, it will be seen that the sleeve has its greatest thickness at Aits center, by means of which construction that portion of said sleevewhich is the portion that receives the most strain is greatly strengthened, While the great weight which would be necessary were the sleeve of the same thickness throughout is avoided. By i the use of the shrunken rings e, by means of which the sleeve and the axle are held in place, a' construction is obtained which is most desirable at all times, inasmuchV as the bolts v and other contrivances used in axles of this description are not to be depended upon.

I am aware that it is old to v divide a ca axle and inclose it in a covering or sleeve. I

am also Iaware that such divided axles have been held in semi-cylinders by means of u 'sleeve or helix shrunk or driven thereon,

C, having projections corresponding` with the grooves and recesses on the axle, and retaining-rings e e, substantially as und for the purpose describedl This specification signed and `witnessed this i 23d day of June, 1882. 4

JOHN L. FLEMINtl.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN DAVIs, ALMERIA L. BoYN'roN. 

